


Goodnight and Go

by Crashthefandoms



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Anger, Angst, Death, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Gun Violence, Guns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-03
Updated: 2015-11-11
Packaged: 2018-04-29 17:04:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5135669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crashthefandoms/pseuds/Crashthefandoms
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chloe and Max have finally settled in Seattle after the events of Arcadia Bay, but you can't always run away from your past</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Permanent Photographs

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! This is my second fanfic and I decided to try and go for something a bit longer with chapters! More Pricefield, but more angst as well! I'm not sure exactly where this story will go, but I'll write as I go along :)

"Turn that shit off." Chloe commanded roughly as she swiped the remote out of Max's hands and powered off the small television.

"Chloe-!" Max whined standing up from the cheap sofa placed in the middle of their small one-bedroom apartment. Both girls had just arrived in Seattle a week ago after their.. _emotionally exhausting.._ road-trip from Arcadia Bay. Whenever they switched on the radio or walked in a gas station with a television, they'd be face to face with the news reports. _Arcadia Bay in ruins/No known survivors/Freak tornado destroys small town_... The headlines went on and on. How many times could they phrase the same damn thing?! Today in their small apartment at ten in the morning was no exception. 

"Why do you torture yourself like that? Just ignore it." Chloe walked back to the kitchen and pulled out a bowl and poured some cereal and milk. 

"Ignore it? How can we possibly ignore it?!" Max followed Chloe to the kitchen, her eyes still as bright as ever as she looked at Chloe in surprise. 

"Here's how," Chloe placed the bowl on the counter and firmly grasped both of Max's shoulders leaning in close. "don't watch the news." With that, Chloe smiled and planted a light kiss on Max's cheek.

Chloe went over to the couch and plopped down, raising her legs to rest on the make-shift table out of one of their cardboard boxes when they first moved in. Max decided not to argue and just sighed. She walked in the bathroom and locked the door behind her. There wasn't much to look at, hell, most the apartment was empty pretty much. They both tried to decorate the place at first, but they kept getting distracted. Or, more so Max kept getting distracted. Why did it seem like none of this had any effect on Chloe?

 _Did.. did I make the right choice?_ That question kept appearing in her mind the past few days. Max clutched the edge of the sink hating herself for even asking such a stupid question. _How could I even ask that?! Of course I did. Chloe's alive, we're together in Seattle. This is what we've always wanted._

But as soon as she thought that, she knew it was a lie. Of course this wasn't what they've always wanted. Not like this, anyways. Not with everyone dead, not at her hands. _Just wash your face, Max, it'll be okay._ She turned on the faucet and washed her face. It was freezing cold, but she didn't care one bit. She needed something, anything, to wake her up from this nightmare. As soon as she lifted her head up, her whole body almost went numb.

 _"You killed them all, Max.."_ _Chloe's face stared back at her in the mirror. "You were fucking selfish as usual. You killed your best friend, Warren, you killed my fucking mother!_ _You killed everyone! You're no better than Jefferson."_

"N-No! That's not true!" Max stumbled backwards, her back hitting the wall roughly. She refused to believe any of what she heard. It was her imagination that's all. She just needed some sleep. But some part of her knew, maybe there was some truth to Chloe's words.

The mirror changed from Chloe to Warren, crimson blood streaming down his cheeks. _"I thought we were best friends, Max? Yet, you chose to let us all die.. Why? Was I ever worth anything to you?"_

"Warren, please, you were my friend! I cared about you!"

_"Then why, Max, why on earth would you do this to me?! You're the reason my body got mangled up and destroyed! You're the reason we all suffered in pain and fear those last few moments! You caused this! I.. I can't believe I actually loved you.."_

"I-I.. Warren...! I didn't have a choice!" Max was clutching her head now, the tears quick to run down her cheeks. Even though she tried not to look at the mirror, the voices were still amplified in her mind.

 _"That's a lie, Max, you always had a choice. Countless choices in fact."_ Max recognized that voice, it was Victoria. _"But instead you decided to fuck up the most important one, and all for what? Some corny little drive-off into the sunset with Chloe? Please, as if. Chloe doesn't care about you."_

"You're wrong, you don't know what you're talking about!" At this point Max had stood up and was full-on yelling at the mirror showcasing Victoria's smug smirk.

" _You're absolutely right, Max, I don't know. Maybe it's because I can't be there to see for myself? Now.." Victoria put a finger on her chin in pretend thought. "I wonder whose fault that would be?"_

Max didn't have an answer for this. They were right, all of them were. But why did they have to torture her like this?! She always meant to make the right choice, to do the good thing, but now all the right she's tried to do is pointless! All because she made the biggest mistake of her life. No.. Chloe isn't the biggest mistake of her life. How could she say that?!

_"Max, look at you, you used to be so pure and innocent. Now, you just might give me a run for my money." Mark Jefferson adjusted his glasses in the mirror and grinned at Max._

Max felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. A shudder traveled down her spine, and she could've swore she felt a tiny pinch on her neck. The same spot where that _creep_ drugged her in the junkyard.

"Go away, please!" Max begged, her light tears now turning into heavy sobs. Her freckled face was now stained red with tears.

_"Oh, Max, when will you ever understand? Photographs are always permanent, in here." Jefferson tapped his temple with his index finger. "Just like the photographs of Arcadia Bay in ruins, all those lives lost." He took off his glasses and stared Max directly into her glassy eyes. "At least I never directly killed anyone, I never was the cause of a mass genocide. You just might be worse than m-"_

" **NO!"** Max screamed punching the mirror and bruising her fist. She didn't even feel the pain once she did so. Her knees buckled out from under her and she crashed down onto the bathroom floor still sobbing.

_Thud._

"Max?!" Chloe rushed into the bathroom as soon as she heard Max scream. _Shit shit shit! What the fuck happened?!_ The scene Chloe saw before her made her want to break down in tears. Max was curled up in a ball on the carpet by the sink. She was heaving with heavy sobs as she whimpered _"I'm sorry"_ softly over and over again.

"Max? Max! It's okay!" Chloe sat down on the carpet and wrapped her arms around Max holding her close. She could feel Max's breathing calm a little, but it was still erratic and tearful.

"I'm sorry.." Chloe whispered softly into Max's ear, stroking her short soft brunette hair.

_You shouldn't have saved me, Max.._

 

 


	2. Paying the Price

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Max's hallucinations, Chloe lets her rest while she goes out to explore the city they now reside in.
> 
> But the doubts from their old home still reside within her

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sincerely sorry this is so angsty. I cried myself as I wrote this, Next chapter will come tomorrow!

_You shouldn't have saved me, Max.._

Chloe couldn't help but feel guilty as she carried Max from the bathroom to their bedroom. By this point, Max was knocked out cold. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat, her facial expression frozen in fear and regret.

_You did this to her, Chloe.._

Chloe sat on the edge of the bed, stroking Max's hair out of her face. Seeing Max like this tore her up inside. Of course Chloe knew the decision a week ago at Arcadia Bay would continue to haunt them both, but she never could've imagined it would do.. do _this_. The homes of everyone they'd ever knew in that small isolated shit-town, all in ruins. Max's lips were parted ever so slightly, the tear-stains still visible on her cheeks. Her whole face was blotched with red spots from her tears. The choice didn't just ravage Arcadia Bay, it was also killing Max.

"Don't you dare leave me again..!" Chloe whispered, the words spilling out in desperation. She'd already lost Max once years ago, then her dad, then Rachel, and now her Mom. She wasn't ready for Max to lose a part of herself that would be impossible to get back.

After what seemed like hours, Chloe finally got up the nerve to slowly stand up off the bed and leave the bedroom. Before she closed the door, she took one last glance at her Max Caulfield. What she saw almost shook her to her very core. Max was asleep, but she looked like she was in pain with her eyes shut and her teeth clenched. _"i'm sorry"_ was all that she said over and over again. Was she even conscious? Probably not. Chloe closed the bedroom door quietly before making her way into the kitchen and pulling out the drawer where she kept her pack of cigarettes.

_Fuck_

A single tear dropped down on the cigarette pack just as she picked it up in her hands. Chloe wiped it off, dismissing the incoming emotions inside of her. This past week she'd done her best to keep herself calm and composed. She knew that Max was having a hard enough time as it was, so she didn't want her to feel any guiltier than she already was. But she realized now what a God awful mistake that was.

"C'mon you stupid lighter.." Her fingers fumbled with the small metal lighter, trying to get a flame going but to no avail. "Work!" The tears were streaming down her face now, her frustration over the lighter and Max and all this fucked up shit was finally catching up to her. Her vision was distorted now thanks to the tears in her eyes, but her fingers kept persisting trying to get _something_ to work right.

"Shit!" The lighter closed shut as she dropped it on the tiled floor. The pain was quick, but it felt like it lasted for decades. There was a red blistering mark on the palm of her left hand. Chloe gritted her teeth as she quickly searched through the opened boxes filled with their few possessions lying around the floor. On the way to Seattle, Max had insisted on purchasing some medicine and bandages much to Chloe's annoyance. But right now she was beyond grateful for Max's worrying and planning ahead.

Finally, Chloe found some bandages and wrapped it around her hand. There was still a dull burning sensation underneath the bandages, and it was unbelievably sensitive, but for now it'll do.

_I need to get out of here, get some fresh air._

She departed the apartment, walking down the bland hallway. The apartment complex they were in wasn't the best, of course they couldn't afford that. But it was enough, as long as they had each other. But as Chloe walked down the stairs to the main lobby, she couldn't help but wonder if they even had each other after all this. It was her fault they were even in this shity apartment miles away from their decimated home.

_I shouldn't have trusted her to make the choice._

Chloe walked out the apartment building and into the cool fresh air of the city of Seattle. The sun was still high up in the sky and cars passed by as well as people on the sidewalks. Everything was moving on, life was still going forward in motion. But how the hell could it?! None of these people around her knew the shit her and Max had gone through.

_Max..._

Her fists clenched at her sides as she walked down the sidewalk, her left palm screaming out in pain as she did so, but she chose to ignore it.

_Would she be like this if she'd sacrificed me instead? Am I the reason she's in pain..?_

A man smiled at Chloe as he walked by, but she didn't even notice. Her face was devoid of emotion as her eyes stared blankly ahead.

_I should've pushed harder.. I should've told her to let Nathan kill me, I shouldn't have left the choice so open!_

"No one would even miss me.." The words escaped her lips in a whisper as she tried to hold back more tears.

_Dammit, Max, why did you have to fucking fall in love with me?! Why couldn't you have just stayed in Seattle! Save yourself all the trouble!_

She felt regret immediately after thinking that. But she didn't know what to do! Max was tearing herself apart because of her! A view interrupted her thoughts. At her feet landed a bright blue butterfly. It was almost the universe's way of telling a sick joke.

"Why couldn't you have died back at Arcadia Bay along with everyone else..?" Chloe whispered somberly, the butterfly fluttering up to her face for a moment before flying off in the distance.

She kept on walking down the sidewalk and turned a corner where in front of her stood the Pike Place Market. It was filled with tiny shops with a variety of people selling things ranging from food to flowers to their own creations. Chloe saw rows filled with bouquets of flowers in one section of the market and had to physically will herself from not sprinting towards it.

 _Perfect! I'll surprise Max with some flowers when she wakes up! And then we can relax and talk this all out, it'll be okay._ Chloe handed the kind elderly woman behind the booth some cash for the perfect bouquet. It had an assortment of blue and pink roses, it was almost like destiny that it would be here for Chloe to pick out. _Max is going to love this!_

Suddenly, Chloe's phone started to ring and she answered it, her other hand taking the bouquet of beautiful roses she had just purchased.

"Chloe! I-I'm scared! I can't-!" The call hung up.

Chloe's heart started to pound in her chest.

Everything was a blur.

The lights around the market seemed to all blend in together as one.

The roses fell to the ground, but Chloe was gone before they even landed with a soft thud.

_**"Max!"** _


	3. Used Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More hallucinations continue to haunt Max when she wakes up
> 
> Only this time it's... Nathan Prescott?

Her sky-blue eyes fluttered open slowly, staring at the plain white ceiling above her. It took Max a moment until she was familiar with her surroundings. The warmth of the covers around her should've been comforting, but her mind was still somewhere else. It was still back in Arcadia Bay. Last thing she remembered was falling in the bathroom, then Chloe ran in. But.. she locked the door didn't she? Or.. was that a hallucination too?

Max rubbed her forehead with a cringe. All of this was too much on her, it was giving her a massive headache. But as of the hallucinations, everything seemed to be okay. She was right, a little sleep did help after all. Her legs swung over to the side of the bed, standing up slowly, careful not to push herself too much.

_Geez, it's hot in here.. We need to get that A/C to work.._

Max glanced over at the bedroom door, noting that it was closed shut. She gripped the brass doorknob and exited the bedroom into the kitchen and living room area. There was no one there, though.

"Chloe?" Max asked out, her eyebrows scrunched up in worry. It was pointless to call out her name, considering the fact that their apartment was so small. If Chloe wasn't here in the kitchen/living room area then she wasn't in the apartment.

_She probably went out to smoke or walk around. I hope I haven't been a burden on her.._

A habit of Max's took over, chewing her bottom lip due to stress and worry. _It's okay, Max, she'll be back soon. Just get something to eat._ Her stomach rumbled instantly at the thought of food. She didn't realize until now just how hungry she really was. _Shit, I forgot to eat this morning, and blacking out probably didn't help either._ She walked towards the kitchen part of the room and searched through the cabinets for something quick to eat.

_Clink_

The sound was quiet, but audible enough in the barren apartment. Glancing down to see where the noise came from, Max wasn't expecting the sight on the floor. It was Chloe's lighter and cigarette pack. Why were they on the floor..? Chloe never leaves anywhere without them! Max was starting to panic inside, her heart pounding within her throat. Did something happen to her..? The fear shot through Max's body like lightning striking water. It was instantaneous and destructive. 

_I have to find her.. now._

Max closed the cabinets and picked up Chloe's cigarette pack and lighter and set them on the kitchen table. She was about to turn around and head out to look for Chloe when she heard the  front door close.

 _Chloe!_ Max breathed a sigh of relief, her lips curling into a small smile. Her heels spun around, her whole demeanor changing from panic mode to happiness and relief. But this change in demeanor was very short-lived. For the person in front of her was... _Nathan Prescott?_

_Nathan paced around the small space, until finally standing still to look at his reflection in the hallway mirror. "It's cool, Nathan... Don't stress... You're okay, bro. Just count to three..." He rested his palms on the wall upon both sides of the mirror. "Don't be scared... You own this school... If I wanted, I could blow it up... You're the Boss..."  The front door opened again, only this time Chloe entered._

"Chloe! D-Don't..! He's going to-!" But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't finish her sentence. Regardless if she could or not, neither Chloe nor Nathan seemed to hear her.

_"So what do you want?" Nathan scoffed, glancing over at Chloe._

_"I hope you checked the perimeter, as my step-ass would say." Chloe walked down the hallway, opening the closet, the bathroom door, and finally the bedroom. Making absolute certain that they were alone. "Now, let's talk bidness-"_

_"I got nothing for you." Nathan cut her off blandly._

_"Wrong. You got hella cash."_

_"That's my family, not me." Nathan responded, his tone suggesting an underlying sense of smart-ass_

_"Oh boo hoo, poor little rich kid." Chloe mocked, standing behind Nathan. "I know you've been pumping drugs n' shit to kids around here.." She deftly walked over next to where Nathan was in front of the mirror, her face getting up close to his. "I bet your respectable family would help me out if I went to them. Man, I can see the headlines now-" Chloe's lips teased a smirk, but they remained firm._

_Nathan was leaning forward with his hands on the wall, his face downwards at the floor. "Leave them out of this, bitch." He spat out with emphasis on every word._

_"I can tell everybody Nathan Prescott is a punk ass who begs like a little girl and talks to himself-" Chloe taunted, giving Nathan a rough shove._

_Click._

"No... Chloe get out now!" Max screamed, trying to run forward, but her body remained in place. Still, no one heard her.

_Nathan pulled out a gun on Chloe. "You don't know who the fuck I am or who you're messing around with!" His voice gradually raised in volume with every word. The suppressed venom inside of him finally being released._

_Chloe backed up with her hands in the air, her eyes wide in fear. Her back touching the wall next to the front door. "Where did you get that?" Her voice was laced with fear, a slight tremble in the way she spoke. Nathan came closer, his hand on the wall next to Chloe's face, while his gun was pointed centimeters away from her stomach. "What are you doing? Come on, put that thing down!" She whimpered, her hand gripping his wrist trying to push his gun away from her._

_"Don't **EVER** tell me what to do." Nathan's hand slammed against the wall next to Chloe's head. "I'm so **SICK** of people trying to control me!" _

_"You're going to get in hella more trouble for this than drugs-"_

_"Nobody would ever even miss your "punk ass" would they?"_

_"Get that gun away from me, psycho!" Chloe screamed in fright, pushing Nathan back with all the force she could muster.  
_

_Blam._

**"NO!"** Finally, Max was able to move, but she couldn't rewind time. Nor should she. This.. this was all just another hallucination wasn't it? A cruel flashback reminding her of the moment where it all began.

_"You should've let her die, Max.." Nathan turned around, facing Max now, his footsteps bringing him closer to her. The gun twirling around in his hands. "This was all destiny. Yet you fucked it all up, Caulfield!"_

"G-Get away from me, Nathan!" 

_"I died for nothing, then?! Everyone just used me! You included! Mr. Jefferson murdered me and then what did you do? You murdered everyone else!" Nathan cocked back the safety on his gun, his hand gripping Max's neck shoving her to the wall. The barrel of the gun pressed to her temple. "What was I?! S-Some toy to be played around with? Tossed back and forth until the string snapped?! I would still be alive if you'd just took your head out of your ass and made the right choice!"  His index finger was twitching on the trigger. In his eyes was pure rage and anger, yet something else as well. There was a fragment of hopelessness in his eyes, a sense of tiredness. His father used him, Mr. Jefferson used him, he was at his breaking point. He was all used up. And for what, exactly?_

_"I guess I was wrong, Max." Nathan leaned in closer, his whisper the only sound echoing in the room. "Nobody would ever even miss **my** punk-ass." His finger pulled the trigger._

Max gasped and slid down the wall sobbing. Her headache was aching much worse now. The pain was intensified ten times than it previously was. It almost did feel like a bullet had ripped through her skull. Nathan had disappeared, but Chloe still remained on the floor by the door, bleeding out. Dead. 

Max crawled across the floor and knelt down next to Chloe's motionless body. The blood soaking her jeans.

_"Max.. You can still fix this.. Stop all this pain. Just rewind. Once more. That's all I'm asking you to do." Chloe's hand took Max's. Her eyes were still glassy, her skin pale._

"I'm going to call 9-1-1! D-Don't worry, it'll be okay!" Max was losing her mind. She didn't know if this was reality or not, but she wasn't about to let Chloe die on her. Even though she already was, Max just couldn't see that. She hastily dialed a number on her cell.

_"Rewind, Max Caulfield! Fucking let me die!" Chloe's hand shot up to grip Max's wrist, causing her to misdial._

"Chloe! I-I'm scared! I can't-" She cried out through her sobs. The cellphone was knocked to the floor.

Chloe disappeared. But the blood still resonated in her mind.

All Max could do was sit on the floor in front of the door, and cry.

Chloe's blood was on her hands.

Everyone's blood was on her hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got pretty intense. Honestly, I had no idea where I was going at first, but I'm glad with how it turned out! Let me know if you'd like to read more!


	4. Goodnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe and Max finally decide to talk out the problems they'd been going through
> 
> But Max makes a decision   
> And she's still not alone

The door swung open with almost enough force to leave a dent in the wall. Chloe barely even recalled her journey back from the market to their apartment. All she remembered was hearing Max's sobbing cries for help on the phone, and the next moment Chloe was bursting into the small apartment like a wrecking ball. It didn't take long for her to find Max, who was on the cheap carpeted rug in front of the doorway. Her legs were tucked in under her, eyes wide in astonishment. Max didn't even register Chloe entering, her eyes were locked on her hands.

"Max!" Chloe shut the door before running to the only person who meant anything to her in this world, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"C-Chloe..? But.. you're-"

Max couldn't finish her thought because Chloe had placed her finger on her lips. "Shh.." She whispered softly, taking Max's soft and delicate hands into her's. The two had contrasting personalities, and that much was evident just from their hands. Max's hands were soft and delicate, much like her. She was sweet and took care and worry in everything she held dear to her. Chloe's hands weren't rough exactly, but they weren't completely delicate either. They radiated a sense of confidence and a desire for security. Chloe had never been one to be shy about her feelings, she could oftentimes be rash. She was desperate never to let anyone leave her again, like so many people have in her life. Chloe wasn't going to let Max leave her, not ever.

"We can't keep avoiding this, Max."

"I-I know.." Max stood up slowly, with the assistance of Chloe pulling her up. "We have to talk about this. It's not good." She looked up at Chloe's eyes. The same eyes that made her stomach do back-flips and her cheeks blush so many times before. "For either of us."

Chloe nodded, knowing full well what Max meant. Hell, if it meant helping out her Super-Max, then fine, she'll open up a bit. "Where do we begin?" A light chuckle from her lit up the room a bit, her smile sending waves of comfort through Max's being.

Without a word, Max took hold of Chloe's hand and led her into their bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I saw it all over again.." Her head dipped down, staring at her fingers that scratched at the bed covers they were sitting on. "The bathroom, Nathan, h-he shot you.. a-and then he-he.."

Max's fingers were digging into the covers now. Almost as if her body had a mind of its own, trying to escape from the nightmare she was forced to deal with. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her chest heaving as her voice started to crack.

"It's okay.. it's in the past. It was just another hallucination." Chloe replied, pulling Max close to her and allowing her face to bury into her shoulder. Max couldn't keep it all in anymore, she started screaming through her sobs into Chloe's shoulder.

The feeling Chloe felt in her heart was indescribable. It was as if someone had taken a sledgehammer and shattered her heart to a million pieces. She felt so fucking useless! She wanted to help Max, to make her feel better, but how could she?! "Remember, Super-Max, I'll always be here with you. Forever." 

Max lifted her head slowly, a small smile tugging at her lips. Dammit, no matter if she was at her worst, Chloe always somehow found a way to make her smile. "Really?" She sniffled, her voice emitting a new emotion, _hope._ As long as Chloe was by her side, she would be okay.

"Of course, Max." Chloe's warm smile was enough for Max to involuntarily smile more and giggle. A hand slowly reached up to touch Max's cheek. It was just a split second, but Max flinched. A moment of fear coursing through her veins.

"Woah, are you okay? Did I hurt you?!" Chloe's eyebrows were raised in concern, she only meant to wipe away Max's tears.

"It's fine, it's just been a rough day is all." Max smiled, notifying Chloe that she was okay. Even though all she could think of in that moment was Nathan Prescott gripping her face and neck shoving her to the wall with his gun.

_Bang_

"Yeah, tell me about it." Chloe sighed hugging her knees. "It's been a rough week. For you especially." She glanced over at Max with an expression of guilt all over her face. "I am so sorry," She whispered. "I-I should've done more. I-I should've.. should've.."

Max leaned up to kiss Chloe softly on the lips. She didn't want Chloe to feel guilt, as if this was any of her fault. That was the _last_ thing Max wanted. This was on her, and her alone. She wasn't about to let Chloe go through the same pain she was going through. Chloe's lips tasted like nicotine, a taste Max would usually recoil from, but right now she didn't care. For both of them all of their worries and guilt dissipated in that moment. They melted into each other, arms wrapping around the warmth of their bodies before falling onto the bed intertwined.

After a few moments, they pulled away to look at each other. Both of them could see the toll the past week had taken on each other. Chloe saw the color she once admired in Max's cheeks, drained. Her eyes looked heavier now, creases underneath them from how tired she was. Max saw Chloe's eyes, which radiated the same confidence Chloe had for years. But there was something different, they didn't look as confident as they used to. Not as fierce either. It was like there was something _lost_.

"Do you regret choosing me over Arcadia Bay?" Chloe blurted out, immediately wishing she hadn't. This was obviously the wrong time to ask that, after all Max had been through that day. But _dammit_ , she had to know. The question had been nagging in the back of her mind for a while now.

"Of course not." Max smiled, her hand reaching out to caress Chloe's cheek, and then running up to pull her beanie off so she could stroke the back of Chloe's blue-dyed hair. "You're my first priority, I've told you that."

"Okay, sorry. I just needed to know." Chloe's smile grew upon feeling Max's hand on her cheek and then through her hair. "I love you, Max."

"I love you too, Chloe."

But there was something bothering Max in the back of her mind. She knew the Chloe she saw earlier, the one shot by Nathan, was just her mind freaking out on her. But, what if she could rewind? She didn't want Chloe to live the rest of her life constantly feeling guilty because of her. She didn't want Chloe to constantly be taking care of her and being paranoid about her mental health.

Max decided right then and there, gleaming into the eyes of the girl she would forever love, she needed to go back. Not back in time. But back to Arcadia Bay. She needed closure. But she knew Chloe would be against it.

"Hey, Max? I'm gonna crash." Chloe said suddenly with a yawn. She turned around on her side and nestled under the covers. "Night."

Max waited until she heard Chloe's breathing calm down in a peaceful sleep. If there was one thing about Chloe that she was sure of, she fell asleep quick.

"Goodnight." Max whispered, slowly getting up off the bed and into the kitchen where Chloe's car keys were. She'd take the truck to Arcadia Bay and be back before Chloe even woke up. She could do it. She _needed_ to do it.

The door closed shut quietly behind her. Max walked down the hallway towards the main lobby of the apartment.

Even when she entered Chloe's truck, smelling the usual scent of marijuana and Chloe on the seats, the ghosts of her decision still followed her.

_Warren_

_Nathan_

_Victoria_

_Kate_

_Joyce_

_David_

_Mr. Jefferson_

The truck drove down the roads, reaching the highway, in the silence of the night.

But for Max, the voices sliced through the silence.

Almost like a storm ravaging inside her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think :)


	5. Distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe is so relieved and overjoyed after finally talking things out with Max. Things were finally looking up for the both of them.
> 
> Until she realizes their bed is empty
> 
> And her truck's gone

**7:30**

**7:30**

**7:30**

Chloe groaned, slamming her hand on the alarm clock on the nightstand. Why did she agree to let Max buy that damn thing? Though, without it, Chloe would probably sleep until past noon every day. Her blue hair covered her face, eyes still closed. She was half-awake now, but a smile was on her lips. Their talk from last night lifted her spirits and kept her optimistic for today at least. Maybe she could take Max out in the town, show her that market she went to.

_Max.._

All she needed to do was think about her and she felt the butterflies in her stomach. Man, that girl meant more than the world to her. Her arms reached around Max's body, pulling herself closer to her. She nestled her head in the pillow they were now sharing, her smile widening even more. "G'morning, Max." She whispered, her arms tightening. But her arms tightened around a bit too easily, it felt kind of.. cushion-y and soft? Finally, she opened her eyes.

_Max..?_

Her eyes widened quicker than should've been possible in her tired state. She sat up, her heart pounding in her chest. _No no no.. Usually she doesn't go eat breakfast in the kitchen until I wake up.._ Chloe hastily kicked the covers off and pulled on her jeans, still in her tank-top from last night. _She's in the kitchen, Chloe._ Her hand turned the bedroom doorknob and yanked the door ajar. _She's going to smile with a plate of waffles for you. Calm down._ But when Chloe nearly sprinted out into the kitchen area, there was no one there. There were no pancakes, there were no smiles, there was no Max. 

"Where the fuck is she?!" This was unlike Max, to just get up and leave without a word. Did.. did Chloe say something that hurt her? _Oh god.. did she leave because of me?_ Chloe blinked and clenched her fists. _Get a hold of yourself, Chloe! Stop worrying so damn much!_ She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cellphone, quickly dialing Max's number. _C'mon pick up.. Please.._

**_Ring._ **

**_Ring._ **

**_Ring._ **

Chloe's eyes slowly widened, the realization hitting her like a sharp cold gust of wind in winter. She couldn't even breathe, the fear gripping her like invisible tendrils choking her being. Her feet moved towards the sound, numb to feeling. Entering the bedroom, she saw Max's phone lit up and ringing on her nightstand. 

"No.. no, please.. Max...? Max?!" Chloe screamed, desperately clinging to the chance that Max would hear her and enter the apartment, that everything would be okay again. But no one entered, and all she could do was scream into unresponsive silence. Her feet once again took off with a mind of their own, she was now oblivious to her surroundings. One moment she was in the bedroom, the next she was running down the hallway outside their apartment, and the next she was in the main lobby trying not to cry as she questioned the man behind the counter.

"H-Have you seen a brunette girl? Wears a gray hoodie, a shirt with a deer on it?"

"I believe she left the building last night and took her truck out into the town."

 _Her truck?_ Chloe thanked the man, and politely declined when he asked if there was anything he could do to help. _She took my truck...? She.. she left me?!_ Chloe stepped out into the chilly autumn morning air. The skies were covered in gray clouds, blanketing the city in dark shades. That was when Chloe couldn't do it anymore. The numbness she felt in her legs were now spreading throughout her entire body. She collapsed, sitting on the steps in front of the apartment complex. _She could be anywhere by now.._

Then it hit her. There was only one place Max would go. _Max.. please tell me you didn't.._ But it made perfect sense. Max would've needed a sense of closure. Perhaps even a hope of finding some survivors, to right her wrongs. Her best friend and lover had left her. Just like everyone else had, without a warning. Max had left her for _Aracadia Bay._ There was no doubt about it, Chloe was going to go after Max. But how? Her only ride was gone! And it's not like they had any friends here in Seattle to ask for a road-trip to the ruins that was Arcadia Bay.

_Frank._

He'd taught her how to pick locks. Of course, she wasn't very good at it, as evident from her unsuccessful attempt at breaking into Principal Wells' office. Fortunately, Max and her powers were there to beat her too it. God, that felt like ages ago now. They'd only been in Seattle for a week, but already Chloe had run into some jackasses in their apartment complex. One of them being this alcoholic moron who wasted his time.. getting wasted, and then going to bars and strip club at night. The way he eyed Max when they first arrived at the apartment, the lustful look in his eyes made Chloe want to slit his throat with one of his beer bottles. Fortunately for her, his car wasn't half-bad, and considering he has a criminal record, the cops won't care much at all if his car was _borrowed_ for a while.

Chloe approached his car in the parking-lot, pulling out a lock-pick from her back pocket. _Now let's see if I remember how to do this.._ She inserted the lock-pick into the driver door, but luckily for her, the bastard forgot to lock his car. _Score, Chloe! Guess I'm getting pretty good at this lock-picking bidness_. _Granted, I didn't actually pick the door, oh forget it, just drive you idiot._ " She backed out of the parking lot and used every fiber of her being not to slam her foot on the gas pedal. Soon enough she got on the highway and was on her way to see Max.

The interior of the car smelled horribly of booze, but if it meant seeing Max, then fuck it, she could sacrifice her sense of smell for a few hours. _Keep calm, Chloe, everything's going to be all right._ She gripped the steering wheel, focusing on her breathing and weaving through the other cars. _All these people had no fucking clue. They're all in their own little worlds_. Chloe tried her best to recall a time when everything was simple. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't. _Radio. Get your mind off of it._ Her hand turned the radio on, not caring what was playing. She just needed something, anything, to drown out her thoughts.

But her car soon came to a slow stop, as well as every car in front of her. All of their red brake lights were on. _Oh for fuck's sake, traffic, now?!_ She rolled down her window and peeked her head out to see just how long the line of cars was. It was long. She rolled her window back up and sighed, focusing on the radio.

" _-Interstate 5 is at a standstill now due to traffic-"_

 _No shit._ Chloe snapped in her mind.

" _-there's been an accident, we're being told now. Involving a truck and a young adult girl, identified as Maxine Caulfield."_

Chloe's heart dropped a hundred stories. Her face lost all of its color, her fingers going limp around the steering wheel. 

_Accident_

_Truck_

_Maxine Caulfield_

Tears streamed down Chloe's face. She refused to believe it, she just couldn't! It couldn't be Max. Please, it just couldn't be! She had to see it for herself. She had to see if Max was okay. She tried to pull over to the side of the highway, but she was blocked by cars all around her. Finally, she didn't care at all. Besides, this wasn't her car. She wedged the car in between the other cars beside her, until they got the hint and made space for her so their cars wouldn't get damaged. Once she pulled the car over to the side, she got out, not even bothering to close the door. Her boots squished in puddles on the grass, the gray clouds above were now starting to drizzle. The ambulance and police lights were in the distance, but she would've ran a thousand miles if it meant seeing Max. 

_Don't you dare die on me, Max Caulfield!_

Everyone in her life had left her, she wasn't ready to lose the last person she ever loved.

_I love you, Max.._


End file.
